


Tell Him How You Feel

by Larry_Klaine_Stylinson



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Established Relationship, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-04-15
Updated: 2013-04-15
Packaged: 2017-12-08 13:28:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,181
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/761853
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Larry_Klaine_Stylinson/pseuds/Larry_Klaine_Stylinson
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Niall's budding feelings for Liam become too much for him to bare, he goes to Harry and Louis for advice.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Tell Him How You Feel

**Author's Note:**

> Originally written as a prompt fill on Tumblr.
> 
> Okay, this is my first Niam and whoops I'm in love. This turned out so cute, if I do say so myself.

They were all sitting around on the tour bus, and Niall was curled up in the corner of one of the couches, chewing on his lip, deep in thought. They'd been on tour for about three months now, and there were feelings that had been bubbling up inside him for a while, and he was having trouble keeping them contained.

Louis flopped down on the couch next to him, throwing his arm around him, "Why so glum, chum?" He asked, grinning widely.

Niall smiled back, Louis being the only one who could really get him to smile when he was deep in thought like this. Although Niall was the happy go lucky one of the group, when he had something on his mind it was a little more difficult to get him to smile or laugh.

"Could I...Could I talk to you and Haz in private?" He asked.

Louis looked at him, perplexed, "Sure, Nialler." He said, turning to face his boyfriend who was across the bus watching something on the large telly with Zayn. Their bus was the size of a small house, and Niall didn't really see the point of it all. He felt spoiled. "Harry, get over here!"

Harry looked at Zayn, and then shuffled back to where Louis and Niall were sitting, "What is it?"

"Niall needs to talk to us. In private."

"Alright." Harry nodded, looking as curious as Louis was.

They walked back through a few curtains, closing them all behind themselves as they went. Finally they were far enough away from Zayn and Liam for Niall to feel comfortable talking.

"How do you guys do it?" He asked.

"Do what?" Louis asked him.

"The whole...Secret relationship thing? And, like, dating someone in the band, you know? Isn't it hard? Don't you worry you're going to break up and it'll be awkward?"

"I love Louis and he loves me. We can get through anything, really. Doesn't matter if we have to keep it a secret, even if it is hard sometimes, because we know we love each other, and that's what really matters when you get right down to it." Harry told him.

"As for worrying about breaking up, I think, when we first got together, we both worried about that a little bit. We were young then and who knew if things were going to work out. But we've been together for going on three years now, Niall, and I don't think we're splitting up any time soon." Louis looked to Harry, and Niall thought he might be looking for some kind of reassurance, to which Harry nodded. "Why the sudden interest anyway, mate?"

"Just..." Niall shrugged.

"D'you think you might be falling for one of the other lads, Niall?" Louis inquired.

Niall coughed and Harry grinned.

"It's Liam, isn't it?" He said, and Niall was worried he was being too loud. "Lou, I told you!"

"No way, Harry. It's definitely Zayn. Or it's me."

"Don't be so conceited." Harry laughed. "Just because I love you doesn't mean everyone does. You're a right twat."

Niall cleared his throat and Louis and Harry both looked to him, remembering that he was the person they were meant to be helping right now.

"It's, um. It's Li." Niall said.

"Told you. Pay up, Tomlinson."

"You had a bet?" Niall asked, mouth agape.

"Eh, just a few pounds." Louis shrugged.

"Could we get back on track, though?" Niall asked sheepishly. "Like, what do I do? What did you guys do?"

"Honestly?" Louis asked, and Niall nodded. "Neither of us were really very subtle about it, were we? I knew he liked me and so one day when the rest of you lot were out...With Cher, I think it was? I just sort of kissed him, and then we had a long chat, and now we're here. It wasn't too hard for us, really. It might be more difficult for you, but I don't know. Just try talking to Liam?"

Niall flopped down on the ground, crossing his legs and groaning, "You're no help."

"Hang on." Harry said. "I've got an idea."

He turned to leave the room, and Niall grabbed him by the leg, "If you go and get Liam, I swear-"

"Relax, mate." Harry said. "I'm not getting Liam, alright?"

"Okay." Niall nodded.

Louis sat down on the ground next to him, throwing an arm around his shoulder again, "You know what?"

"What?" Niall asked, leaning into Louis' body for a bit of comfort. He really didn't know what he was going to do about all of this.

"Everything's going to be alright, mate."

"You think so?"

"I know it." Louis nodded. "Worst that can happen is Li doesn't have feelings for you, yeah? And we all know Li, it's not like he's going to freak out about it. He'll be cool. It won't be something you'll never live down, you know? He'll just politely tell you how he feels, or doesn't feel rather, and then it'll be over and at least it's off your chest."

Niall knew Louis was trying to help, but he was really just making him feel worse.

Harry came back into the room then, Zayn in tow.

"Alright, what's all the hubbub?" Zayn asked, plopping down on the floor in front of Niall. "This idiot just came running out there whispering to me that you had some big old news and not to tell Liam."

Niall's mouth felt dry. He didn't want the whole fucking world to know. That's why he'd just confided in Harry and Louis, because they were going through a similar situation to what he'd be going through if he and Liam ended up getting together, and he wanted to know if it'd be worth it. He didn't even know if he was ready to tell Liam about how he felt.

"Go on and tell him, then." Louis urged.

"I've sort of...Fallen for Liam." Niall shrugged.

"Oh, this is too good." Zayn smiled, scooting closer. "What are you going to do then?"

"That's what we need your help with, you twat." Harry said, smacking Zayn on the back of the head. "He came to me and Lou for help, but we're not sure what to tell him. His situation is a bit different than ours was."

"Tell him how you feel." Zayn said. "Simple as that."

"But what if he doesn't-"

"Nope." Zayn interrupted. "You can't let yourself think like that. That's how you run into trouble. When I was younger, in school, there was this girl I really liked, yeah? And I spent so long asking what if she doesn't like me and what if she's already seeing someone that I psyched myself out, and when I finally talked to her I sounded like a right idiot. You just have to stay calm, mate. Tell yourself he's gonna like you, and he probably will, got it?"

"But...But if things go wrong and we break up then what happens to the band, Zayn?"

"Can't think like that either. If you spend your whole relationship saying 'What if we break up?' you're going to end up breaking up. D'you love Liam?"

"I think I do."

"D'you wanna kiss Liam?"

Niall nodded.

"D'you wanna be with Liam?"

"Yeah, obviously." Niall said, a little annoyed now.

"Then tell him that, mate. It's really not that hard. If things go wrong it'll all blow over. But until you get it off your chest you'll just be wondering 'What if?'. We're all here for you, alright? No matter what way this goes, Harry, Louis and I will always be here. Liam'll even be here, you know? Because we're all best mates and that's not going to change, hm?"

Zayn made sense, Niall supposed. Liam had never been the kind of person that would blow things out of proportion. He'd probably still even let Niall share his bunk sometimes when he was cold even if he didn't feel the same way, so what could it hurt telling him?

The dividing curtain opened and Liam popped his head in, "Who forgot to invite me to the party, lads?" He asked with a grin.

Niall's stomach began knotting up harshly and he thought he might vomit. He couldn't tell Liam. He just really could not.

"Niall's actually got something he'd like to discuss with you, Li." Zayn said, giving Niall a reassuring squeeze on the knee before standing up and walking out of the room.

"Good luck." Louis whispered, standing up as well.

"See you two in a bit." Harry said, patting Niall on the shoulder.

Liam plopped himself down on the floor next to Niall, their knees touching, "What's going on, mate?"

Niall was having trouble breathing. He glanced up, his blue eyes meeting Liam's rich chocolate brown ones. Liam was smiling at him so gently, obvious curiosity in his eyes, and Niall knew that he had to tell him. He couldn't keep this all bottled up anymore and it would be easier to just get it all out in the open and see how things went.

"Alright." Niall said, taking a deep breath. "Here goes, then."

"You look absolutely ill, Nialler." Liam commented. "Are you feeling okay?"

"Not really." Niall said. "But I'm not sick...Just...Let me tell you something real quick."

"Okay." Liam nodded.

Niall looked down at his shoes, wiggling his feet to keep his brain a little occupied while he let the words slip from his mouth.

"Over the past few months I've been having these...Feelings, you know?" Niall began, trying to block out how stupid he sounded and just move forward. As long as he got his point across that's all that mattered.

"Feelings?" Liam inquired.

"Yeah." Niall shrugged. "Like, soppy romantic feelings for you. And I know you probably don't feel the same and I'm just making a fool of meself. But the lads said that no matter how you felt you'd be cool about it and so you'd better be cool about it or I'll kick Zayn's arse for makin' me tell you all this."

Liam chuckled from next to him, and Niall didn't know what that meant.

"Niall." He said.

Niall perked up, still just looking at his feet, though, wiggling them awkwardly.

"Hey." Liam said, taking Niall's chin between his thumb and forefinger and turning him to face him.

He leaned in slowly, his lips connecting with the Irish lad's gently but surely. Niall froze for a minute before moving his lips slowly against Liam's, building up a rhythm, lips moving in tandem. Liam pulled back after a moment, and his eyes were bright and happy, and Niall smiled, letting out one of his overly loud laughs, because honestly he was just so relieved.

"No need to kick Zayn's arse." Liam smiled, reaching down and grabbing Niall's hand, entwining their fingers. "We're going to need to talk about all of this. Work out stuff with management and the lot of it. But I'm glad you told me, yeah?"

Niall squeezed Liam's hand, and it didn't really matter what they were going to have to go through, so long as Liam was by his side, "Sounds good, Li."

They stood up, fingers still laced together, and walked out to the room where the other three were pretending to watch the telly, but whose eyes all immediately turned to Liam and Niall as they stepped into the room.

"Yes!" Louis shouted, curling into Harry's side. "Oh, I knew it!"

"Shove off, Lou, you thought he fancied Zayn." Harry argued.

"I meant I knew they'd be together when they came out of there. No one can resist Niall's Irish charms."

"You'd better resist them." Harry scowled at him playfully.

"Don't worry your curly head, Harry." Niall laughed joyously. "I don't need to steal your man."

"Told you everything would go fine." Zayn smiled, a happy glint in his eye.

"Kiss, kiss, kiss." Louis chanted, and then the other two joined in.

"Kiss, kiss, kiss, kiss!"

Niall looked at Liam, who was blushing profusely, but they both leaned in slowly, just pecking each other on the lips, and the other three lads groaned in disappointment.

"Lame!" Zayn hollered.

"I want my money back." Harry said.

"If you actually paid us maybe you'd get a snog." Niall said, and he felt Liam ducking his head into the crook of his neck, hiding his blushing face from the other three.

"Harry, I think they're cuter than us." Louis pouted.

"Honeymoon phase." Harry reasoned. "We'll be the cutest again soon."

"Don't count on it, Styles." Liam piped up from where his face was resting in the crook of Niall's neck.

Niall kissed him on the top of the head and smiled at the other three lads, "Thanks for helping me, lads."

"Anytime, Niall." Zayn smiled.

Niall squeezed Liam's hand, and they went to sit with the lads on the large couch, and it was as if nothing had changed, aside from the hand that was still interlocked with his.

Maybe it wouldn't be so hard after all.


End file.
